RESIDENTS in Two Wells and Lewiston have started their own campaign to maintain the Adelaide Plains Council (APC), after a petition aimed at abolishing the council was presented to parliament a fortnight ago.
The Adelaide Plains Residents and Ratepayers Association (APRRA) recently gifted Member for Narungga Fraser Ellis with a petition with more than 750 signatures calling for the council to be dissolved.
The proposed end to the council would see its Mallala ward taken in by Wakefield Regional Council (WRC) and its Two Wells and Lewiston wards ceded to Playford Council.
APRRA obtained signatures for the petition by setting up outside polling booths throughout the council area during this year’s federal election, as well as travelling throughout the community outside of the election.
APPRA president Mel Lawrence said the petition was created because the council had become financially unviable, and residents would be better served in either the WRC or Playford Council.
In response to the petition, Lewiston woman Sally Johnson set up her own Change.org online petition calling for APC to be kept intact.
Her petition stated the majority of residents had not signed, or been given the chance to sign, APRRA’s petition.
“Moving the Two Wells/Lewiston Ward to a council that, amongst other issues, has little experience in a semi-rural area does not give us the confidence to support the change,” the petition read.
“A significant amount of work went into achieving the objectives of the Animal Husbandry area in its present form that we do not see any benefit will come from changing our council to Playford.
“The majority of ward residents have not been made aware of, or given the opportunity to sign, the petition asking for change and we absolutely oppose it.”
Mrs Johnson’s petition had received 127 signatures as off Monday night and is aiming for 200. \
Mr Lawrence said he wasn’t concerned by the counter-petition.
“Around 120 signatures makes no difference compared to what we’ve got,” he said.
“The people I’ve talked to, and I’ve talked to hundreds and hundreds of people, they’re just fed up across the council area.
“The sooner it (APC) is gone, the better; that’s what people are saying out there.”
